A Father To Sons
by ariolfo101
Summary: A Father's Day Story. Iroh was told by the spirits he would have two sons. His Firstborn would be immortal and the Younger would rule the Fire Nation. But after no other children are born and the death of Lu Ten , Iroh doubts Agni's prophecy that he is a father to sons.


A Father of Sons

 _This is for Father's Day, and is dedicated to my uncle, and to uncles, grandfathers, cousins, and other great men who stepped in to be a father, even though they were not one biologically. Happy Father's Day and God bless you._

The names of the royal family had secret meanings given by the spirits, that were known by only the Fire Sages. Heirs to the throne were told to go to the Sages on their eighteenth birthday to hear their sacred name, and have their destiny read. And so, Fire Prince Iroh went, in accordance with tradition, to the temple built by Avatar Roku, to hear from the head Sage his destiny.

The whole room stunk of incense that was being burned on a solitary gold altar carved with dragons, the light from it the only thing illuminating the thickly curtained windowless room, and the wrinkled face of the head Sage. Prince Iroh blinked his eyes to get them used to the darkness, then walked determinedly to the fire that was being tended on Agni's altar. The head Sage beckoned him closer, then pointed to the flames and said, "Put your right hand into the sacred flame, and let it burn."

Iroh hesitated, eying the fire, before plunging his right hand into the flames. He was used to heat, creating it, being surrounded by it. But it was another thing completely to let the fire consume you, to tremble with the urge to deflect the searing heat, and not be able to. Biting his tongue and cheeks to keep from shouting in pain, Iroh agonizingly searched the Sage's face for a sign that it was time. After what seemed like eons, the man nodded, and Iroh eagerly yanked his scorched and singed hand out of the fire and blew on it.

The Sage then took the burned hand and traced the fire's tracks with his finger, reading the message of Agni. Then, he reached into the fold of his robes for a flask of ointment, which he rubbed on the afflicted hand before wrapping it in gold-trimmed silk.

"Hear, Crown Prince Iroh, firstborn son of Azulon, not what you want to hear, but what Agni says. It is my duty to translate directly the words of Agni's fire, without changing anything. This is your destiny.

You will never sit behind the wall of flames as supreme ruler of the Fire Nation. I do not know how or why the throne will never be yours. But Agni's destiny for you is not that of kingship. You will instead grow wise in the ways of men and of spirits, becoming great among both. You will journey many paths and learn much, and use your wisdom to guide others to greatness.

But the key element of your destiny is tied up intrinsically with your sacred name. The meaning of 'Iroh' in the sacred texts is 'Father of sons'.

You will have two sons, Prince Iroh. Your firstborn will be a soul of great spiritual strength, who will live forever, immortal. He will lead men as an example, and give you the key to enter the spirit world itself. Your younger son will be born of fire. You will know him by his face, a face that will lead the world to peace. He will give you more sorrow than your firstborn, but also more joy. Your first son will be a guide, your second, a leader. It is he who will sit upon the flaming throne, and see that the line of Iroh holds the crown forever after, until the very flame of Agni's sun burns out."

Iroh stared at the Sage, his mind reeling with all this new information. The stunned prince silently bowed to the head Sage before hurriedly leaving the room.

Prince Iroh continued to live his life, always keeping the prophecy of Agni in his mind. Accepting the fact that he would never be Fire Lord, he dedicated himself to his military career and learning as much about the spiritual part of the world as he could. He married a Fire Nation Lady of nobility, Nuan, the little sister of a friend he had in the army. When he proposed, he shared with her the prophecy of the Sage, and the fact she would never be Fire Lady. She heaved a little laugh and merrily said, "Iroh , I thought you KNEW I am no proper lady."

The couple was happily married and their first son was born about two years later. The Fire Nation celebrated the birth of an heir to the crown prince, but Iroh spent his time worshipping his newborn immortal. He named the boy "Lu Ten", meaning "Long Lived". Iroh and Nuan both tried hard not to laugh during the naming ceremony, winking back and forth at each other, knowing how "Long Lived" the boy would be. Iroh adored Lu Ten, playing with the boy whenever he had a spare moment and even if he didn't. Sometimes they would roughhouse in the fields, or talk over a pot of tea, Iroh telling his son of his military pursuits and of all he had learned of the world. The prophecy given to Prince Iroh all those years ago was carefully explained to a wide-eyed Lu Ten. Iroh warned him of his own immortality, and of the fact that Lu Ten would never be the Fire Lord.

"But I thought you were going to be Fire Lord Dad! Everybody says so!"

"That may be what everybody says, but it is not my destiny to be Fire Lord, nor is it yours. It is your destiny to become a great spiritual leader, an example for men, and to live forever. It is your younger brother's destiny to be Fire Lord, and end this war."

"And what's your destiny Dad?" Lu Ten took another sip of his tea.

"To be a father to my sons, of course!" and Iroh hugged his firstborn close.

Lu Ten grew to manhood and Iroh and Nuan grew older, but the prophesied second son still did not arrive. Nuan began to become concerned that at her age she could not bear Iroh another son, but Lu Ten waved off his mother's fears.

"Junior will get here soon enough, Mom." He said, home on leave from Ba Sing Se. "The spirits are never wrong. I just hope my little brother shows up soon, so we can finally end this war."

The day Lu Ten died, Iroh went into shock. The prophecy couldn't not have been wrong! His firstborn could not be dead! Lu Ten was immortal! Lu Ten was IMMORTAL! The General had screamed those words to the skies until the entire encampment thought he had gone mad. Dazed, the Dragon of the West called off the siege of Ba Sing Se, and marched his army home. He was bitterly angry with the spirits, with fate, with Agni for LYING to him, in the flames all those years ago. But when he received the news of his wife's death from shock, Iroh finally lost his senses. He drifted afloat in his own miserable thoughts, in a damp army tent, marching home in disgrace from his failure. Everything, he had lost everything, his immortal son dead, his wife gone, his promised heir that was meant to rule never to be born. The spirits had lied. The spirits had LIED! He sat there for days, so uncaring of the world around him, that he no longer heard or saw it. There was no space or time, and it may have been a moment or a thousand years before he saw he was in a field with strange creatures the like of which he had never seen grazing in it. Blinking his eyes in wonder, he stumbled and fell backward when one of the creatures abruptly asked, "What are you?"

"Where am I?" asked Iroh.

"It's not polite to answer a question with a question!" said the disgruntled being, sticking its oddly shaped face ,a cross between a bird's and a bear's, toward the human.

"Where am I?" repeated Iroh.

The creature snorted, "The spirit world, where else?"

The lost, grief stricken general's soul had wandered the spirit world for quite a while, meeting many of its inhabitants, none of which would give him a straight answer about Lu Ten. Finally, he met a peaceful spirit who warned him that if he didn't get back to his physical body soon, he would die.

"What do I have to live for?"

The spirit blinked as if the answer were obvious. "Your sons of course."

"Spirit!" yelled Iroh. "I HAVE no sons! My firstborn," he sobbed "is DEAD and my second son doesn't exist."

"Foolish human." The spirit shook her head. "Agni did not lie to you. You simply did not understand what he said. Human usually take things at face value. You son, Lu Ten, IS immortal, and you DO have a second son. But immortal does not necessarily mean life as a physical being, and a son is not always born in the sense you think."

"How is Lu Ten immortal if he is dead?" asked Iroh.

"He lives in you, and through you. You will make him immortal by doing good to all in his name. Then Lu Ten shall live forever, as promised."

Iroh fell quiet at that, then silently promised to himself he WOULD make Lu Ten immortal. His son would live forever.

"What of my other son?" The spirit bowed her head.

"The birth of your second son will be in a painful disguise. But if you trust the spirits, you will see it for what it is."

Iroh could feel himself growing lighter, and the spirit's voice growing fainter.

"I will restore you to your body. Farewell, Iroh, Father to Sons."

Prince Iroh upon his return to the Fire Nation, to the surprise of the country, did not resist the fact that his younger brother was now Fire Lord. The Prince had merely bowed and paid allegiance to Ozai, before quietly retiring to his own home to try to make sense of his experience. One thing kept him going, the promise of a world of peace, brought by his son. But he slowly emerged from his cocoon with a newfound determination. To find his son, and be a father to him.

It had been just another war meeting. Its end result had been unexpected. Iroh regretted ever letting his nephew into the room. He did not want another boy he cared for die because of his decisions. His only hope was that his younger brother's love for his son would heal the hurt to the Fire Lord's pride. Iroh's hope died when he saw the look on Ozai's face. He watched the scene, powerless as a man watching a woman in labor, as his nephew hit the floor to beg the mercy of the man who had sired him. The uncle looked away, unable to watch any longer. The child's scream echoed in his ears.

It was a year later, watching a scarred young man make slow progress in his firebending forms, that Iroh realized something.

That scar was his son's birthmark. And the scream had been his birth-wail.

Iroh smiled at his second born son as he finished the kata with a blast of flame. "Very good, Prince Zuko."


End file.
